SECRETARY'S REPORT. 107 



necks, and long, thongli not coar.sc limbs ; their wool was short, 

 fine and curling, although not equalling the finc-woolled breeds ; 

 they had dark faces and legs. The chief prhiciple adopted in 

 improving them has been to amend the defects of form, and in 

 so doing, the improved breed has become smaller in bone, with 

 greater disposition to fatten, an earlier maturity and heavier 

 carcase, while still retaining their former hardihood and capa- 

 bility of doing well on scanty pasture. These essentials consti- 

 tute the perfection of the breed ; they can endure the vigor of 

 the weather and preserve their flesh on pastures where a Leices- 

 ter sheep would die. The ewes are prolific breeders and good 

 nurses ; they are quiet and docile in their disposition, and though 

 industrious feeders, exhibit little disposition to rove. The meat 

 of the South Downs is of a superior quality, always command- 

 ing a higher price in the English markets than ^ny other ; its 

 early maturity and extreme aptitude to take on flesh, render it 

 peculiarly valuable for this purpose. The lambs are fit for 

 market at twelve weeks old, and wethers turned at two years old, 

 weigh from eighty-five to one hundred and twenty-five pounds ; 

 they make more internal fat than others, and on this account 

 are favorites with the butchers ; the fineness and quality of the 

 fleece was no doubt one of the original recommendations, but 

 this has long since become a secondary consideration, as it must 

 necessarily be, in sheep raised for their flesh ; the average 

 weight of South Down fleeces is called in England at three 

 pounds, in this country it will reach four pounds of washed 

 wool, which is always in good demand and fetches from thirty- 

 two to thirty-seven cents when Merino sells for fifty cents. 



The improvement of this most useful breed of sheep, which 

 has now spread all over the world, commenced about 1780, and 

 is due to ^Ir. John Ellinan, tlie first and principal breeder who 

 pursued his system of progressive change, with judgment, per- 

 severance and zeal ; and he must be regarded as one of the most 

 skilful and successful breeders of England. He displayed none 

 of the too narrow selfishness which it is to be regretted ap- 

 peared in the proceedings of his distinguished cotemporaiy, 

 Mr. Bakewell. He freely communicated the details of his 

 valuable practice, and showed himself to be entirely exempt 

 from illiberal prejudices. He did not carry any of his 

 principles of breeding to an extreme ; he sought for the prop- 



